BACKPACKER Mag. attacks Mt. Bikers!

[toad]

Ya, so I just got my new issue of Backpacker magazine, and was incredibley offended at one of their "articles". It is called "The Unofficial, Unabridged, Slick-talking, Fast-walking Hiker's Glossary". It is basically a "dictionary" of terms for backpackers. It is suppose to be funny.

So I was reading it, and low and behold there is a entry for singletrack. I will quote it word for word here.

"Singletrack (n)
Trail wide enough for one moun-
tain biker. Also refers to the
general intellectual capacity of
said hammerhead who barrels
recklessly through, forcing you
to lurch into understory."

I was really offended by this! I cant believe a mainstream hiking mag would take such a cheap shot at mountain bikers! Why not write a real article on the issue, you pussbags!" I just started getting this mag, cause it was a gift from someone who knows I really like to backpack, and hike in general, but even so, I think I might have to cancel my free subscription! I knew they supported the Sierra club, but come on! Alot of their target audience has to mountain bike too?

Not only did they attack mountain bikers, but check out this entry for Trail runners!

"Trail runners (n)
People who obviously addled by endorpins in mid-marathon,
detoured onto a trail and are now weaving around you and scaring
away the wildlife."

WTF!! That's hitting prettly close to home isn't it? Scaring away the wildlife? I am pretty sure hikers in general scare away the wildlife, it is just harder to see cause they hear/smell you coming from a mile away, and have plenty of time to react.

Whats up with the exclusionary attitude? And they did it in a backhanded sort of way to, like "oh it was just a joke". But I could not find any other negative references of any other user groups other than tourists on a short hike that they called "Tourons", and basically labeled as fat, rv users who ask annoying questions.

How about a little tolerance? This world REALLY needs some compassion and tolerance now more than ever. I have never seen a mt. bike mag do something this low. I am tring to think up a reply to send in but haven't decided on the apropriate tone . Maybe in the same format? A nice little ditty on what I think of the writers of the mag? Not sure yet, but this subscription over. They couldn't have a "definition" of SUV's cause the hypocritical, exclusionary pricks who run the mag have at least three advertisements for them.

Can you believe this garbage?
-t

[wooglin]

It is suppose to be funny.

Yup. Why not take it that way then?

[toad]

Yup. Why not take it that way then?

Because it wasn't.

[SoCalAl]

The trail runners one is more well humored than the mtn. biker one. I would have to think that most of their readers have or currently mountain bike. Even if it is in good humor, they shouldn't perpetuate the stereotype of the average mountain biker as some extreme, brake dragging, armor clad "dood" who blows by hikers at full speed. For their readers who are on the fence in forming an opinion on mtb and access or just an attitude, this sort of thing could push them to the dark side.

By the way, that's the greatest avatar I've ever seen.

[mahgnillig]

Do you have the postal or email address of the editor (I looked online but I couldn't find it). It seems that anyone who writes an article like that deserves to get bombarded with letters expressing outrage.

I guess the editor failed to realise that the same people who enjoy mountain biking and trail running usually enjoy hiking and backpacking too. We're all on the same side here... if there's going to be any hostility it should be between those who want to protect and enjoy nature (bikers/hikers/trail runners etc.) and those who wish to drive their smelly, polluting machines through it.

- Jen.

[toad]

Man, there are so many editors it was hard to filter through, guess my brain wasn't up to the task. But here is where they want letters sent:

BACKPACKER, 33 E. Minor St., Emmaus, PA 18098 (snail mail)

or

LETTERS@BACKPACKER.COM


The executive editor is Peter Flax
The articles editor is Dennis Lewon
The senior editor is David Howard

Whew that was tiring. Must-kill-brain-with-beer-now.

[wooglin]

Because it wasn't.

So it was a poor attempt at humor. Drawing attention to it really isn't going to help matters any. Actually it will make MTBer's look like whiney little jerks.

[Hollis]

Saying something obviously offensive and then adding, "Oh I'm just kidding!"
Like that makes it all better?

[jtdbsr]

Backpacker magazine

Enough said....

How can you take a magazine seriously with that name???

[skiahh]

How about a little tolerance?

Yes, how about some?

[sportsman]

Actually it will make MTBer's look like whiney little jerks.

Have you been reading many of the threads on MTBR?


your music is too loud...
your clothes are too tight...
you shave your legs...
you don't shave your legs...
_______ didn't yield/get out my way...
you have too many gears..(okay, this one is legitimate)...
you guys/women are too harsh....(an unnamed captain of the enterprise that likes Earl Grey tea)

[Duncan!]

In a free country, it would be excusable ... they must be stopped!!! It sounds worse than being attacked by a cougar. D.

[akitadogg]

In my less than esteemed opinion -
Backpacker magazine is not worth the paper it's printed on - it's not even a worthwhile magazine for backpackers (I include myself as a backpacker type). Backpacker is merely an advertising vehicle for high - priced yuppie goods aimed and the city-locked greenhorns whose idea of interacting in nature is akin to looking at a coffe table book.

AS a biology-type, I am also offended by the total basic misunderstanding of the natural world and basic biloogical systems Backpacker displays in their articles.

Outside magazine is interchangeable with Backpacker.

That said, on occassion both mags have a worthwhile feature article.

Also the swipe at mountain bikers was merely not so clever attempt at humor without the intention of being offensive.

In the last week I have encountered a large number of friendly hikers and their dogs and a splendid father with his two little daughters on horseback. IN the same I happened to take note of two less than friendly mountain bikers who seemed quite pissed at being greeted. Considering we were headed uphill and they were going downhill I had to assume they were from back east since I could find no reasonable explanation for their lack of civility.

Now I must also mention at the moment prior to the first not nice biker, some 55 year old stud on a borrowed hardtail with a BB making evil sounds came powering up to me, had a nice chitchat about the wonderful day, then continued armstronging past me. I thought that was pretty cool and something to aspire to in a few decades. .

[Frozenspokes]

Man, there are so many editors it was hard to filter through, guess my brain wasn't up to the task. But here is where they want letters sent:

BACKPACKER, 33 E. Minor St., Emmaus, PA 18098 (snail mail)

or

LETTERS@BACKPACKER.COM


The executive editor is Peter Flax
The articles editor is Dennis Lewon
The senior editor is David Howard

Whew that was tiring. Must-kill-brain-with-beer-now.

Emmaus, PA, isn't that Rodale Publishing? As in Bicycling Magazine? Yet another reason to avoid their monthly catalog. As if the "review" of the $2000 "entry level" road race bikes weren't enough to push one over the edge.

I'll join you in that beer now, It has been a crappy week already.

[Uber_Sloth]

"to lurch into understory."

What the hell is "understory"? Granted, my Webster's is a tad on the old side, but I'd like know what I'm lurching these backpacker's into when I'm bowling through with my singletrack intellect. Is it thorny?

[scrublover]

Meh. I've done a lot of packing in the past, and will continue to do so.

I've seen just as many hikers and packers be loud/rude/selfish/littering as I have any other backcountry user group.

Methinks this was a poor attempt at humour on the magazine's part. FWIW, yeah, that particular mag is just as bad as most of the other stuff Rodale prints.

[Rampage]

Have you been reading many of the threads on MTBR?

you guys/women are too harsh....(an unnamed captain of the enterprise that likes Earl Grey tea)

the prejudicial, ignorant, obtuse, uncoothed, loudmouthed mtber who is the unnamed cpt of entreprise that likes Earl Grey tea.

[radair]

...I happened to take note of two less than friendly mountain bikers who seemed quite pissed at being greeted. Considering we were headed uphill and they were going downhill I had to assume they were from back east since I could find no reasonable explanation for their lack of civility....

LOL, so only uncivil people come from the east? There must not be any user conflict (other than those rude people from the east) in CA, CO, MT and other western states?

Stereotyping doesn't work.

[sportsman]

the prejudicial, ignorant, obtuse, uncoothed, loudmouthed mtber who is the unnamed cpt of entreprise that likes Earl Grey tea.

Wow. this is freaking me out, it's like you're reading my mind or something...

[Vecsus]

People use humor all the time to mask a serious message. They effectively implanted the notion that mountain bikers are all inconsiderate maniacs. Hikers that had a previous encounter with a biker will immediatly recall that event in a negative frame of mind. A backpacker heading out this weekend that has an encounter with a mountain bikers will immediately recall that article and make assumptions based on it. They will have a preconceived opinion of the cyclist before they are even close enough to speak.

[Soupboy]

Hiker (n) - Someone who enjoys being out of doors but is too uncoordinated to ride a bicycle on anything but pavement and too lazy to bring themselves to run.

[toad]

yaaa, I guess I was offended cause I consider myself a backpacker as well as hiker, as well as mountain biker, and was pretty sure they were all compatible. Reading a mag that rips on a big part of my life and makes stupid assumptions isn't something I am interested in. I always kinda read it half-heartedly anyways cause I never thought it was all that great to begin with.

As for people being aggressive and rude on this board, ya well there is all types of people out there and this is definitely no professional publication (hehe), and it makes things interesting! I have to say, I would take mtbr over any mag. I have learned more about mountain bikes on this board than anywhere else. So thanks yall!

[wandr]

Although I've had my clashes with them recently, I'm willing to let this one slide. I'm 99% sure it was meant as a joke. Let's face it, some people just don't have a sense of humor. I know for a fact that many people at Backpacker mag, as well as Jon Dorn (the editor), rides on a regular basis. In recent issues, they've even been encouraging mountain biking, as well as printing a few articles on riding destinations.

[lidarman]

.................

[dave54]

I'll just add that to the reasons why I am glad I stopped subscribing.

It has devolved into a worthless yellow tabloid full of bad advice, questionable gear reviews, and too many glossy ads.